Morning Sun
by Star Ribbon
Summary: Instead of meeting Edward Cullen, Bella has the unfortunate - or was that fortunate? - luck of meeting Edward Masen, her guardian angel, in Forks. Just between the two of us? Bella would've rather had the vampire. ::Bella/Edward, AU::


_Author's Note: _This is a rewrite of Daybreak (a fic I wrote ages ago - which was a series of drabbles in itself), and to be honest, I'm not quite sure where this all came from. Blame boredom and the result of the question "what if Edward Masen was really Bella's guardian angel?" (If you don't like non-vampire Edward, then now would be the cue for that handy back button on your browser.) I hope you guys enjoy this, and be sure to let me know what you think! Reviews are always lovely.

_Disclaimer: _Twilight doesn't belong to me and is property of Stephenie Meyer. The only thing that does is my interpretation of Elizabeth Masen.

**Morning Sun: First Day**

From the moment she stepped onto the campus of Forks High School, Bella knew she would have an interesting junior year. Everyone - and she meant everyone - was staring at her as she climbed out from her new pick-up truck. What? Hadn't they ever seen the bond between a girl and her truck?

Oh, right: they'd never seen her before. This was the one thing she hated most about being "the new girl" in a small town. Everyone knew everyone else already, and she'd have to break into the cliques and friend groups in order to find her place. (Question is, were they willing to help her out?)

She smiled casually at them as she swung her backpack over her shoulders. Gently taking a folded map out of her pockets, she quickly opened it before nearly getting pummeled by a crowd of football players. What was this, "smoosh the new girl day?"

Cursing them under her breath, she then kept comparing her surroundings to her handy map. She was going in the right direction, wasn't she? The map said that the office was down two doors on the left... but now she was going right...

"You look lost."

Now looking up from her map, Bella blinked at the teenager before her. "Um, that's because I am."

He now walked beside her - she could smell his pepperminty breath - as he held the map in his hands. "You're Isabella Swan, right? The police chief's daughter?"

"Word spreads around that fast?" She retorted cheerfully. Shaking her head, she answered, "Yes, but I'd prefer Bella."

"Bella it is," The teenager smiled. "I'm Mike Newton. I'm guessing you want to get your schedule too."

"Preferably," She couldn't help laughing as she took the map back and folded it into her jeans. "Maybe we'll have some of the same classes together."

"Wouldn't that be a riot," Mike grinned as he held the door open for her. "Well, here we are. Good luck with your new semester."

Bella thanked him as she walked up to the desk and received her new schedule. Scanning the list briefly, she frowned - why didn't they have AP Biology? - but held it up triumphantly as she walked out with Mike.

"It's not bad," She admitted. "I'll see you at lunch?"

"Yeah," He called back as he ushered her through the crowds of people. Before she knew it, he had walked her to their PreCalculus classroom. Waving goodbye, he then asked, "Meet me at lunch?"

"Will do," Bella cheerily smiled back at him. "Where should we---"

"I'll get Ed to help," Mike waved. "I've gotta go, or I'll be late! See you then!"

She watched him disappear before she blinked, "Wait... who's Ed?" Shrugging, she then took her seat and waited for the rest of her classmates to pile in. If Mike was any indication, then today would be an interesting day indeed.

Turns out Mike was a _bad_ way to judge Forks High School: he had been the highlight of the morning. Most of her classes, unfortunately, were covering material that she'd already learned in her old hometown. (Who knew Arizona was up on the times?)

Lunchtime couldn't have rolled around sooner. Following the crowds to the cafeteria had been pretty easy; she spotted the salad bar from the entrance; and now? Bella the Salad Eater Swan was a very happy camper indeed. As she piled the lettuce on her plate, she couldn't help smiling. Even in a small town like this, they still had the little things that made life great.

As she looked across the bar, she couldn't help noticing the redhead also making his own salad. Their eyes met for a second. Then?

"Hey," He called to her cheerfully. Taking his salad to her side, he then tilted his head to the side, "Glad to see someone else here eats healthily."

She couldn't help that smile tugging at the end of her lips, "Hey."

"I'm Edward Masen," He greeted, now extending his hand for a handshake. "And I'm going to be your new best friend. See, my last best friend was tragically eaten by the popular people last autumn. It's a rather sad story, you know."

... Did he realize that you _don't introduce yourself to new people that way?_ Even if he was kinda cute (she couldn't help it! Something about red hair and green eyes made him absolutely irresistible), his introduction had left her speechless.

"Uh..."

Thankfully, his blond friend - Mike - wrapped his arm around Edward's neck and forced his friend's hand down. Bella sighed of relief as Edward glared at him.

"Oy!" Edward groaned. "Couldn't the popular kids have eaten you for a little bit longer?"

Mike snickered, "Nope. They decided I tasted like rotten eggs and threw me out." Turning to Bella, he added, "Hey, come sit at our table. We promise we won't let you sit alone."

Finishing her salad with a vinegar and oil dressing, Bella nodded as she followed the two boys to a nearby table. Edward was a weird guy, but that didn't mean that she couldn't avoid him, right? Mike would totally understand. After all, what kind of guy introduced himself with comments about people being eaten by other people? (Did Edward believe in cannibalism?)

Because if he did, Bella would have a problem. She was skinny! And her meat would definitely not taste juicy!

... The sad part, she realized as she munched on lettuce, was that Edward would probably joke about the Church of Cannibalism if she admitted it to him.

"I promise Precal isn't that brutal, Bella." Another brunette now spoke to Bella. Cheerfully taking the pepper from Mike, the brunette grinned, "It beat English by a long mile, right?"

Bella wrinkled her nose, "Then you're just a math genius, Jessica. English was way better."

"You say that because you read all the books," Edward pointed out in-between bites of salad. "I remember you telling that to the whole class."

"I was whispering that!" Bella retorted as she retreated into her class schedule.

Edward laughed, "You whisper like Ben. Maybe it's official: you two are soulmates."

The entire table laughed as Bella further retreated into her own shell. God, it was the first day and they were making fun of her and some Ben guy already? It couldn't be that bad. Relax. Breathe. Why would the new girl even be---

"Bella?" Mike blinked. "You do realize we're poking fun, right? It's not like we hate you."

Edward nodded in agreement. "Unless you happen to be a zombie. But your brains seem to be in working order."

She stared at him again. Seriously, why did she even think he was cute? He made non sequiter jokes; he _made fun of her_; and now he was... wait, he just complimented her intelligence. She was sure she was blushing.

Thank god the bell rang when it did. Everyone left the table - Bella included - as they all headed towards their next class. Taking care to walk alongside Jessica, Bella rolled her eyes, "Is Edward always like this?"

Jessica couldn't help blushing, "Yeah. He's pretty cool, isn't he?"

Cool would have been the last word she used. Shrugging, Bella admitted, "I guess if you're into guys who joke about zombie brains and cannibalism."

Frowning, Jessica let Bella walk into their biology classroom together, "... When you put it that way..."

Bella shrugged, "I'm sorry?"

The apology should have come from Jessica: the only seat in the whole lab was right next to Mr. Edward "I eat people for lunch" Masen. Groaning mentally, Bella was sure she glared at him as she remarked, "You again?"

He shrugged apologetically as he moved his books over. Watching her as she sat down, Edward explained, "You know it's a small school with even smaller classes."

That just made it even worse. She had half-hoped for some all-out fight; he had acted the part of some crazy, full of life kid that she would have to mother. Yet... he was playing nice, if only because Jessica was visibly jealous of the new seating arrangements. Whatever happened to the guy that predicted that Bella Swan was going to be his new best friend?

"True," She half-heartedly remarked just as the teacher walked in. As class began, she couldn't help stealing glances at him every now and then. Why was he in the same classroom as she?

He was so weird. She didn't leave Phoenix to meet weirdos - she left to spend time with her dad and let her mom live her new life in piece! - so why did God put her in these kinds of situations? It was just something that she couldn't comprehend.

As if he could read her mind, he muttered under his breath, "I'm sorry."

He just kept getting weirder by the minute. Was he even normal? Bella nonchalantly accepted the apology as class officially went underway. The first day had been weird, yes, but hopefully? On a sliding scale of weirdness, the first day would always be the worst. If Mike and Edward were good indications, then everything - and she meant everything - would turn out alright.

How did that old saying go? "Fool me once, shame on you, Fool me twice, shame on me?" God, she'd been stupid to judge a whole high school based off two people. Gym class hadn't been any better - that ball must've had a magnet for her head! - and neither had Spanish. Maybe it was because she'd actually lived near a lot of Hispanics in Arizona, but the teacher's Spanish accent wasn't very convincing.

Mike helpfully put a bag of ice on her head. "Cheer up, Bella. Tomorrow will be a lot better."

"That's what the victims of all the horror movies say," Bella moaned, pressing the ice tightly against her bumps. "And look at them all! They die!"

For once, Bella had left Mike completely and utterly speechless as they walked - no, hobbled - out to the parkling lot. After maybe five minutes of silence, Mike finally offered, "... Well, you don't live in a horror movie. Maybe a chick flick, but not a horror movie."

"My knight in shining armor," Bella smiled back at him as she climbed carefully into her pick-up truck. Saluting him, she then turned the car down. "Thanks for all your help. I'll see you tomorrow."

She watched him shrink from her rearview mirror. Maybe it was just the atmosphere, but the rain was getting to her. Honestly, she liked to think she wasn't a depressing person. The rain, however, brought out pretty much every little issue she liked to hide deep inside her.

For instance, the music. In the morning, she felt like some Schumann or Chopin (something about a new town and classical music was better!), but the moment she got back into this car? With all the rain, some Linkin Park sounded much better. And Bella was hating herself all the more for her lack of taste in angsty music.

Thankfully, the drive home otherwise was uneventful. Parking her car carefully by the curb, she hobbled out and put her house key into the slot before twisting it and opening the front door carefully.

To her surprise, some woman was mixing some kind of batter in the kitchen. Bella could smell freshly brewed tea, and the closer she got to the kitchen? The more she noticed that this woman resembled Edward. Not only was her hair a flaming shade of red, but she also had some air about her that Edward did.

Dropping her books onto the counter with a thud, Bella crossed her arms. "Who're you?"

The woman smiled apologetically at Bella, "Ah, excuse me." Offering a cup of tea, she then greeted, "I'm Elizabeth Masen - Edward's mother. We just moved here last fall. I have to say, Edward's thrilled about not being the new kid anymore."

She could even play nice like Edward! Except her niceness seemed way more genuine. Bella was absolutely sure she was blushing, but she still kept up the farce, "Are you and Char---Dad good friends?"

"A little. Your father's helped me establish my business here, and in exchange, Edward's been his surrogate son."

Wait, what? Charlie - for she didn't think of her dad as "Dad" - and Edward were actually close? This was close to impossible. Why would he even---this just wasn't real--- Bella groaned as she reached for the Tylenol in the medicinal cabinet.

Pouring out two pills, she swallowed them with tea before moaning, "T-that's..."

The back door opened at that moment as Edward walked through. Judging from the sweat dripping down his face, he was exhausted. Plopping himself onto the couch, he waved weakly at the other residents.

"Hey, Bella. How was your first day?"

"Don't tell me," Bella sighed, rubbing her temples.

Edward blinked. "Wait, what---" Immediately, he burst into laughter. "No! Of course not! We don't live here. But we've been hanging out with your father since we moved. It seems weird not to be here."

Bella inwardly cursed. Of all the people in Forks he could've bonded with... of all the people... he chose Charlie. Why? He was just making her life much, much harder than it already was. Stupid Edward Masen. So much for a normal, new life in this small town.


End file.
